Beyond the Wall was born in August of 2023, shot and produced entirely by University of Arizona professor Liliana Soto’s border reporting class. Over the course of four months, twenty students came together with one mission in mind - to give a voice to the migrants who died while crossing the desert. By leading through the documentary process with this goal as the guiding force, multiple other questions arose. Does the American dream exist, if it ever did it all? How can we honor the identity of those who so often go forgotten?

The class spent months learning about missing and deceased migrants through every single angle. Whether it was through interviews with migrant families, a medical-examiner, members of various non-profit organizations, or border patrol - no area was left uncovered. Through this exploration, students were able to completely immerse themselves into not only the life of the migrant - but what comes afterward, too.

The death of a migrant in the desert, whether identified or not, creates ripple effects within a community that last long after they die. There is a mother who is without her son, and a brother who is without his sister. There are artists dedicated to honoring migrants through their work, or non-profit organizations working every day to save as many lives in the desert as they can.

Beyond the Wall explores this ripple effect, diving deep into not only what it means to be a migrant, but what it means to honor their journey as well. Whether it be through faith, through art, or even just through education and awareness - Beyond the Wall explores all of the different ways migrant death can -and should- leave its mark on a community.